The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-05
HEIRS TO A LARGE ESTATE
The Descendants of a Staten Island
Settler Claim Millions of Dollars.
Several Poor Families in This City Will Have
Share Of the Wealth if the Claim
ants Rights Are Established.

In yesterdays journal brief dispatch from
Upton stated that Ira W. O'Banicn OF that place
had been notified that he was one Of the heirs to
large amount of valuable property en- Staten
island. n. Y. formerly owned by Alexander
Porter. ''Advices from the attorney who has
charge of the matter" said the dispatch. "say
the amount is sufficient to make all the heirs
rich, and that the matter will be Immediately
adjusted. There are four of the heirs residing
here. and three more live in Indianapolis, George
and Jasper OBanion ana Mrs Josie Reed"
After half days search yesterday a Journal
reporter succeeded in finding dozen or more
Indianapolis people who claim TO be heirs OF the
great fortune. OF the names announced in the
dispatch. that of Jasper O'Banion alone ap-
pears in the directory. His residence is
given as No. Z. Wallace street, in West
Indianapolis. When the reporter called at the
number he found the house vacant, but several
of the former neighbors of O'Banion who had
read the dispatch were standing around talking
about the possibility of his being an heir to any
considerable amount of money. Mr.. O'Banior.
they said, had left the neiehborhood several
months ago, moving as they thought, to Haueh-
vile. There the reporter won't, and found that
ne had gone from that place several weeks before
to Potomac alley. Persistent inquiries among
the residents of that poverty-stricken section OF
the city located the family in two rooms in
Blackboard street. Mr.. OBsnion had not seen
the news item, but az soon az he read it be said:
Eyes, 1 am the O'Banion. We knew the fortune
was coming, but have heard nothing direct from
our attorneys for several weeks, and did not
know what progress was being made toward
settlement"
Are the names of the Indianapolis heirs as
given in the Upton dispatch correctP asked the
reporter.
thirty heirs of the estate here in Indianapolis.
There are four OF the o Ban;ons-my brother
Gaores who is employed in the Colege-avauue
street-car stablas and living on Eighth street.
not Reed tho wife of David G. Reeder, living at
No. "a Everett street, and Mrs Malissa Lowe.
the wife of g. A. Lowe, the street-car driver,
who lives on the Belt road, west of the citv Be-
sides us there quite a number OF Porters. liv-
ing on McCarty street; a cousin. Daniel Aikeus.
on Chesapeake street and Mrs Alice Vest re-
siding at No. 80 Pendleton avenue"
"Have you positive evidence that fortune ia
coming to you?"
There can be no question about it. The mat
ter has been in the hands of the attorneys for
about two years. and they there is no doubt
about right to New York property valued at
several millions of dollars. Some of the heirs
and they are certain there can be no question
about our title. The discovery of our right to
this property was made by Jack Porter,
of Houston, Tex. 1t is through his
efforts we will come into possession. If
such thing should happen Some years
ago. as l understand it, he discovered that an
the early days of New York, the of
large tract of land on Staten island. His name
Alexander Buchanan. To encourage the
growth of a town upon the island he allowed his
lald to be occupied by settlers. who
erected homes on it and improved
it without having any title to
it. In that manner much of this land passed
int the hands of other persons. and having
plenty of money himself, which he made by the
Improvements on the island. he allowed the set
tiers to remain upon his land until his death.
His heirs either not knowing that the holders
of the property had title to it. or account
claim the land. 1r gradually passed into the
bsr<ds OF people who thought themselves the le
climate owners. Nearly ali the heirs OF
Buchanan left New York and came West, and
the fact that the land still belonged to them did
not come to light uE til few years ago. when some
one in New York, think, made the discovery.
and notified Jack Porter, of Texas, who is one
generation nearer the Buchanans than the
OBanions. For myself do not know what
he's been done to secure the property. That
has all been left TO the Porters. Two years ago
we were all assessed a small amount to pay the
expenses of securing the property / do not
know by what process an agreement Is being
reached. There talk some time ago of
great awauit against the present occupants OF
the property. but if a settlement is to be made
soon, our letters indicate, 1t Will be through
com promise"
''Have Won ary idea how many heirs there
81 have not There must be thousands of
them, though They scattered all over the
West. have no idea how much there will be
for each of US, but if the amount We are en-
titled to is large is represented, there will
be considerable for each one"
None of the Indianapolis heirs we'll off
financially, the majority, indeed. being very
poor. They all hard working industrious
people, and among their neighbors are regarded
as very deserving.